Trouble in paradise
by catsareswell4
Summary: This a refined story of the belowe Luke and Craid the finale. It would not accept my edits (Or I am too stupid to do it properly)


Luke and Craig - The Ending

The door opened and Craig took Luke in an almost ridiculously impassioned embrace.

"My God I've missed you" he said. Luke could only nod before the next onslaught but when he finally came up for breath agreed: "Me too".

It had been nearly a year since the two of them had finally got together. This was the longest time they had been had been apart since. Craig had been on an Inspector's course up North.

After all the scandal and sniggering at Sun Hill and to a lesser extent at Luke's nick, everyone had settled down and come to accept Luke and Craig as an established couple. It had been a long, painful road and most people felt they deserved their happiness at the end of it

But not all was perfect and the tensions of their turbulant past could arise without warning.

The next day, Craig came in to find Luke hammering away at the never ending kitchen renovations.

Quelling Luke's smile of welcome, Craig simply asked "Why didn't you tell me Carl had been here?"

"Didn't seem important, said Luke, wiping plaster flakes from his face.. "Where did you hear that from anyway?"

"That poisonous old bag from down the road. She wanted to know what my "other young man" had been doing here"

Luke laughed then looked up and saw Craig was far from laughter.

"And so? What are you getting het up about? He just came to cause trouble as usual..

"Trouble?" said Craig coldly. "Is that what you call it?"

Luke saw where this was going.

"You're not serious," he challenged.

Craig just looked at him.

Luke took a grip on his temper. "Don't be stupid," he said.

"Well what kind of trouble are you talking about?" demanded Craig. "What kind Luke?"

Craig knew he was being irrational, but then he always had been where Luke was concerned, The thought of what had happened between Luke and Carl that time was too vivid in his mind.

Luke took a breath. "Look, he knew somehow that you were away" Craig threw his head aside with an expression of disgust.

"He came here and read me the riot act. All about how you must be bored with me by now and ready to go back to him. He had the course of our relationship all mapped out apparently and he seemed affronted that things weren't going according to his agenda.

"And you let him in?"

"For a while yes, then he started throwing his weight around so I showed him the door. OK?"

"Throwing his weight around. Yes, I've already heard much how you enjoyed that the first time," Craig was lost in a welter of jealousy and possessiveness. Only Luke could do this to his him.

Luke who was getting used to these occasional outbursts of possesiveness was also getting fed up with them.

Jus pack it in Craig will you," he said. "Its getting old.

"No I won't pack it in, how the hell am I supposed to have a minute's peace of mind if the minute my back's turned you're inviting your old lover in for a cosy chat, and you don't expect to believe that's really all it was do you?

Luke lost it. He kicked with all his force against the cupboard he had been working on. Watched it drop on his hinges. He stood up and went face to face with Craig.

"Is this the way it's going to be then?" He wanted to hit him in the face.

Craig had similarly lost the plot. "You tell me Luke," he said in his most dangerously understated tone.

Thumping the wall in reply Luke stamped out of the room and outside. He gave the front door a hefty kick behind him for good measure.

Twelve excruciating hours later, Craig summoned his professionalism and went to work. Going through the motions at the front desk he saw Gina looming up on him, the familiar knowing look on her face.

"Trouble in Paradise then?" She asked, then as she turned , added "Debrief in the pub at 12.30."

By that time Craig was feeling ill with tension. Gina got the drinks in and putting them down took his hand.

"So what's wrong?"

Craig looked down for a second. "Me, that's what's wrong," he said.

At Gina's quizzical look he said "It's my stupid jealousy. I thought there was something up. I made stupid, terrible accusations and now he's gone."

Gina, who had never been a big fan of Luke, looked him squarely in the eye.

"But was there a reason for jealousy?" she said with more cynicism than she intended, she had long ago learnt she had to tread carefully around Craig where Luke was concerned.

Craig looked at her furiously. "Of course fucking not, It's me, it's just me that's all, my shitty paranoia."

"Oh Craig, the language" said Gina in mock horror. Now be a good boy and tell me what's gone wrong. What do you mean he's gone?"

Craig rested his head in his hand. "I mean we had a row last night and he went. He just went, I tried phoning him then I started phoning his friends, then I realised how pathetic I was being, so does he "

"It was just a row then?"

Craig looked up bitterly. "No there was a bit more behind it, but the fact is, he's gone and its all my fault."

Gina, gave a slight sniff of doubt and was rewarded with a venomous look from her friend. "In for a penny," she thought:

"Craig, don't you think…..?

"What?"

"Well maybe it's just run its course. Maybe the two of you just aren't suited...he's still young and hardly the most...

Craig sprang to his feet then abruptly sat down again. He had to stop behaving like this.

"Gina," he said. "I know all that, I know what everyone thinks but it can't make any difference. I sometimes think its just not normal they way I feel about him.

Gina chuckled. "Crikey Craig, its a bit late in the day to be having those sort of doubts,"

For the first time he returned her smile. "You know what I mean, I mean is it normal to love someone quite as much as this, as intensely as this afer all this time?"

Gina sighed. "Well if he feels the same way about you then I'd say you couldn't go far wrong."

"That's the trouble," said Craig passing a hand over his forehead. "I don't hink he possbily could. That's what makes me behave like such a prat sometimes. That's what's driven him away."

"You've had a row and he stormed out, stop being so melodramatic. Go and find him and kiss and make up. You're aware of your weaknesses so you'll be able to guard against them in future. "Go and find him. I'm sure he can't be that far away. And yes you can have the rest of the day off."

Luke was indeed not far away. Returning home to grab his car keys Craig found him rummaging through the hall cupboard and felt a clutch of coldest fear .

"Have you come to fetch your things? he asked, heart in mouth

Luke emerged and glared at him.

"Is that what you want?"

"My God Luke, what do you think?"

"I think I'm fed up with being treated like an unreliable teenager Craig. OK, so I didn't know my own mind for a long time, but are you going to punish me for it for the rest of our lives?

Craig felt an overwhelming sense of relief at the implication of the sentence.

"I would have thought I'd have proved to you over these last months that I'm every bit as serious as you...you patronising git,"he added for good measure.

"I'm sorry.. I really am. I sometimes think our ages are reversed. I'm an idiot"

"True." Luke grinned. "You need someone to look after you. He held out his hand to him

"So its just as well I was actually just looking for a Phillips," said Luke revealing the screwdriver in his hand, "That cupboard seems to hanging off its hinges again for some reason.

And they collapsed, helpless with laughter against each other.

The end

"


End file.
